Low-Grade Salivary Myoepithelial Carcinoma of the Upper Lip Harboring a Novel CARMN/miR143HG::PLAG1 Fusion.
Prokopios P Argyris, Melissa Y Tjota, Mark W Lingen et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 48-year-old man presented with a 6-month history of a slow-growing, asymptomatic nodule in the left upper lip. An excisional biopsy revealed a low-grade myoepithelial carcinoma characterized by a multilobulated growth pattern and infiltrative features. Immunohistochemical analysis supported the diagnosis, and RNA-based NGS identified a novel CARMN/miR143HG::PLAG1 fusion. The case highlights the unique molecular aspect of this rare salivary tumor.
What made this case unusual
The identification of a novel CARMN/miR143HG::PLAG1 fusion in this low-grade myoepithelial carcinoma adds to the understanding of the molecular landscape of salivary gland neoplasms.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should consider myoepithelial carcinoma in the differential diagnosis of submucosal nodules in the salivary glands, especially when histological features suggest a low-grade neoplasm.
Why it matters
This case underscores the importance of molecular characterization in salivary gland tumors, which may reveal novel genetic alterations that could inform future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.